Covid Acceptance Versus Covid Stigma

There is a difference between people in the United States who had been hospitalized for Covid 19 and those with similar situations in certain countries. In the United States, it is usual to see great fanfare and best wishes for patients who have overcome their serious Corvid battles and have been discharged. It starts for them from the hospital where the staff forms a train line on both sides, cheering with balloons, etc in celebrations that the patient is able to leave the hospital and go home. But, it doesn't stop there. News cameras show the joyous occasion to viewers as these patients are wheeled out of the hospital's entrance with accompanying family and friends as they enter their vehicles. Once the patient arrives home there may be neighbors waiting outside the house with welcoming words of support as large banners and more balloons decorate the front yard. It is a great time not only for the discharged patient but for the hospital staff and loved ones who may have thought previously that the seriousness of their family or friend meant that he or she would not have lived to see another day. 

On the other hand, in some countries, the reaction towards such a patient is quite opposite. The patient holds on to a feeling of shame as he or she knows that the public, even some family members, will shun them for having the virus. So, in some countries, there is a stigma against those who have tested positive for Covid and have been hospitalized. These recovering patients are spoken about badly and many times have to leave their communities and go elsewhere to live. It is a sad reaction for people who may have caught the illness due to no fault of their own. During the initial stages of the Corvid 19, some were even staying clear of health care workers who they thought were carrying the virus. But, as months passed, many in these countries have a changed mindset on the virus. Nevertheless, for the most part, recovering patients still fear for their welfare and continue to keep the matter a secret so that they can live in peace when they return to their communities

Avoiding Covid 19 Stigma